Cuomo to push for big boost in environmental fund
Democrat & Chronicle
January 5, 2016
ALBANY - A state fund that backs projects meant to boost the environment would grow to $300 million under a new proposal from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo is set to lay out his plan for the Environmental Protection Fund as part of a series of announcements on Long Island this morning, according to his aides. It will be part of Cuomo's state budget proposal, which he's scheduled to unveil Jan. 13.
The EPF, as it's known, currently sits at about $177 million and is used to fund various environmental and preservation projects, such as restoring historic sites, purchasing forest land and recycling programs, among others. If approved by lawmakers, $300 million would put the fund at an all-time high.
The fund is an annual point of concern for environmental lobbyists and advocates, who regularly push for more EPF funding as part of the state's budget negotiations.
In the past, the EPF has been raided during times of state budget cuts, dropping to as low as $134 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year, the year before Cuomo took office.
The EPF was first created in 1993.
